MOSH MOAH Quantification

Chromatography Profile

Laboratory preparation extracts hydrocarbons from paperboard or food matrices using solvent mixtures like hexane and ethanol before chromatographic injection. During MOSH MOAH quantification, high-performance liquid chromatography separates the sample into two distinct fractions based on chemical polarity. Gas chromatography then resolves each fraction into an unresolved complex mixture humped baseline containing thousands of overlapping hydrocarbon isomers.

Quantifying total mineral oil content requires integrating the total area under the unresolved complex mixture curve against internal standard peaks. Aromatic fractions containing three to seven ring structures present potential mutagenic risks and face strict regulatory scrutiny. Interferences from natural plant waxes and synthetic polyolefins require chemical epoxidation cleanup steps prior to measurement.

Limits of quantification reach 0.5 milligrams per kilogram of food for each hydrocarbon group.

Contamination Threshold

Verification of functional barrier effectiveness relies on accurate hydrocarbon measurement down to fractional parts per million levels. Reliable MOSH MOAH quantification allows paper mills to validate de-inking processes and barrier coating performance. Packaging suppliers use quantification data to issue safety certifications for food-contact paperboard made from recycled pulp.

Food manufacturers enforce strict acceptance thresholds to prevent hydrocarbon transfer into dry food products.